The Joy of Building

This post explores the joy of the building process.

I have always considered myself lucky in my building career. From very early on, I’ve been able to move freely from one domain of the industry to another on any given workday: from the nitty gritty of on-site physical construction, getting hands on experience in building, to the hustle and bustle of the office environment, creating construction documentation and overseeing project management; and into the more rarefied air of board rooms, banks, and investor groups, participating in strategic decision-making and financing.

On the good days, work starts around 5:30 am, with a coffee, car ride, and confirmation phone calls that ensure everything, and everyone are on the way and on time. Arriving at the site, the crew is finishing up their own coffees, and pulling out the relevant drawings. The weekly meeting begins. All the work performed during the previous week looks great, and the materials and crews are prepped and ready for the week ahead. The team spend 20 minutes reviewing the plans, reviewing questions, and ensuring that the whole team is ready to collaborate for another successful week. Camaraderie and collaboration are clearly visible all around. People are actively looking to identify solutions for potential challenges that they may face.

I leave the site, and head into the office. I have brief phone calls with staff to discuss the goals and priorities for the day. This gets my juices flowing — I start thinking about the important decisions that need to be made in the coming weeks. Next, perhaps a meeting or two with clients. Finally, I head into an afternoon of strategy meetings with my business partners. We discuss new ideas and ensure the pipeline for future work is active and healthy.

When I am lucky enough to get days like the one described above, I love my work.

Of course, I do not always get days like these. On other days, I may use any number of less attractive adjectives to describe my work experience: difficult, contentious, litigious… take your pick. However, ultimately, I find that Building offers all of us the potential for joy.

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